Chef Kevin O’Donnell on cooking in Italy and France, then coming home to create “Freestyle Italian” cuisine in Rhode Island

Chef Kevin O’Donnell cooked his way through high school at mom-n-pop joints in Rhode Island, then began a career that took him to Italy and France, with a stint at New York’s Michelin-starred Del Posto in between. In France, the restaurant where he was Executive Chef was named Best Bistro in Paris. Now back in his native Rhode Island, he owns two restaurants, one featuring what he calls Freestyle Italian cuisine and one offering an inventive array of pizzas. He is currently a 2026 semifinalist for the James Beard award as Best Chef Northeast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices